Display or support racks for carpet samples have heretofore been constructed with large and expensive castings, especially in instances where a lock of one form or another has been provided to secure the wound sample against accidental unrolling. U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,644 of Leon H. Best is a good example, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,645 by the same inventor.
Less complicated structures in the form of notched uprights have also been prevalent in years past. Johannson U.S. Pat. No. 1,637,573 is a good example; other examples are Hilleary et al U.S. Pat. No. 384,626 (1888); Holleman U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,892 (1933) and Smith 2,135,540 (1938).
One of the current manufacturers also makes provision for a so-called friction lock mechanism by which the end of a threaded bolt, mounted in the upright, may be turned inward to apply a resisting force to the rotating end portion of the spindle. The arrangement, after a period of use, tends to wear finish off the painted surfaces and will wear a groove in the rotating end of the spindle.
In view of the foregoing, one of the objects of the present invention is to construct a more sturdy and dependable spindle than heretofore; to radius the notches of the upright to assure easy entry of the spindles; to eliminate the need for a heavy casting to support spindle locks while at the same time making provision for both a lock and a brake, the brake having a mechanical advantage for effective operation; to employ washers on the spindles as supports, stops and brake surfaces; to employ hex-shaped bar stock to facilitate achievement of the foregoing; and to construct a brake of such form that it may be easily mounted and easily operated.